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The Rural Voice, 1991-10, Page 3430 THE RURAL VOICE It's often been said: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." But farm life has certainly undergone dramatic and irreversible changes. Writer Wayne Kelly of Lucan provides evidence for both views: one, the changes in farming and rural life have been so thorough that the past seems quaint; two, "modern" problems really aren't so modern after all. Either way, the "voices from the past" haven't lost their relevance. AND HOME MAGAZINE. FOUNDED M. by Wayne Kelly The editorial page of The Farmer' s Advocate often provided area farmers an outlet for venting rural complaints. The lack of efficient mail delivery was seemingly as much an issue 85 years ago as it remains today. And when the price of mailing a letter in our own time has reached 43 cents (GST included), it is of note that one rural postmaster used to make a seven -mile, half-day trip for which he received a staggering sum — 38 cents! (from The Farmer's Advocate, March 1907) 20TH -CENTURY POSTAL SERVICE IN HURON! Editor "The Farmer's Advocate:" For forty-five years we have had a regular and well-conducted mail service to Mamock from Belgrave; distance, 3 1/2 miles. The mail leaves Marnock about two o'clock, and returns usually about five or half past five in the evening, losing the greater portion of the afternoon, and for which the mail carrier has received the sum of 38 cents and a fraction per trip. During all those years the mail carrier and postmaster has been the same person. Now, owing to old age and infirmities he cannot carry this mail any longer. He cannot engage anyone to carry it for any such remuneration and, as a consequence, has sent in his resignation, which has been accepted by the Post -office Department, and in accepting it, asking him to send in the office equipment after the 31st of December, 1906. In other words, the office is closed. The Post -office Department did not ask for tenders for carrying the mail or keeping the office open. The patrons of the office are from 2 1/2 to 6 miles from any other office. It is going to be a serious inconvenience to us to get our mail matter, and compelling us to reduce our newspapers and correspondence to a minimum. A magazine will be at a premium, and a daily paper an unheard-of luxury. A return to some of the hardships of pioneer life. A promise was given some time ago, in answer to the agitation for a rural mail delivery, that the Post -office Department could not afford the cost, but would increase the number of outlying offices to facilitate the delivery of mail matter, and this, I suppose, is the fulfilment of that promise. I do not know what the intentions of the post -office authorities are in regard to this matter, but a Targe number of the patrons of this office consider it an outrage the way we have been treated. Huron Co., Ont. J. W. Bone P.S. — Any communication addressed to Belgrave may reach us in the course of a few weeks. J.W.B. Martin Mills Inc. Lucknow Division MIIM martin R^ #meq c V B 6. L M I FEED Pry '< SA LINE AND SUPPLIES COMPLETE OF ANIMAL VETERINARY HOG — BROILER — LAYER TURKEY — BEEF — DAIRY VEAL — FISH — PET FOODS Martin Mills Inc. Lucknow Division Lucknow 519-528-3000 or 1-800-265-3006 30 THE RURAL VOICE It's often been said: "The more things change, the more they stay the same." But farm life has certainly undergone dramatic and irreversible changes. Writer Wayne Kelly of Lucan provides evidence for both views: one, the changes in farming and rural life have been so thorough that the past seems quaint; two, "modern" problems really aren't so modern after all. Either way, the "voices from the past" haven't lost their relevance. AND HOME MAGAZINE. FOUNDED M. by Wayne Kelly The editorial page of The Farmer' s Advocate often provided area farmers an outlet for venting rural complaints. The lack of efficient mail delivery was seemingly as much an issue 85 years ago as it remains today. And when the price of mailing a letter in our own time has reached 43 cents (GST included), it is of note that one rural postmaster used to make a seven -mile, half-day trip for which he received a staggering sum — 38 cents! (from The Farmer's Advocate, March 1907) 20TH -CENTURY POSTAL SERVICE IN HURON! Editor "The Farmer's Advocate:" For forty-five years we have had a regular and well-conducted mail service to Mamock from Belgrave; distance, 3 1/2 miles. The mail leaves Marnock about two o'clock, and returns usually about five or half past five in the evening, losing the greater portion of the afternoon, and for which the mail carrier has received the sum of 38 cents and a fraction per trip. During all those years the mail carrier and postmaster has been the same person. Now, owing to old age and infirmities he cannot carry this mail any longer. He cannot engage anyone to carry it for any such remuneration and, as a consequence, has sent in his resignation, which has been accepted by the Post -office Department, and in accepting it, asking him to send in the office equipment after the 31st of December, 1906. In other words, the office is closed. The Post -office Department did not ask for tenders for carrying the mail or keeping the office open. The patrons of the office are from 2 1/2 to 6 miles from any other office. It is going to be a serious inconvenience to us to get our mail matter, and compelling us to reduce our newspapers and correspondence to a minimum. A magazine will be at a premium, and a daily paper an unheard-of luxury. A return to some of the hardships of pioneer life. A promise was given some time ago, in answer to the agitation for a rural mail delivery, that the Post -office Department could not afford the cost, but would increase the number of outlying offices to facilitate the delivery of mail matter, and this, I suppose, is the fulfilment of that promise. I do not know what the intentions of the post -office authorities are in regard to this matter, but a Targe number of the patrons of this office consider it an outrage the way we have been treated. Huron Co., Ont. J. W. Bone P.S. — Any communication addressed to Belgrave may reach us in the course of a few weeks. J.W.B.